| Disaster: |
|
(aside)
That boy looks so sad. I wonder what’s going on
with him?
|
| Thunder: |
|
Girl, girl,
don’t leave. Hold on.
|
| Disaster: |
|
Are
you talking to me? |
| Thunder: |
|
Well, yeah.
There’s no on other girl around. Girl, come closer
to my window. Talk to me please! I’m bored.
|
| Disaster: |
|
O.K. What
do you want to talk about?
|
| Thunder: |
|
Well,
I want to know how it is out there. |
| Disaster: |
|
What do
you mean by how it is out here? Don’t you ever
come out of your house?
|
| Thunder: |
|
Do
you think if I did I’ll be asking you! Man, I don’t
know why I even called you here. You’re just like
everyone else. You don’t understand how I feel, and
just assume I’m O.K. I’m not O.K. I’m sad
‘cause there are problems in the house. My dad’s
always arguing and my mom’s never home. Plus I’m
mad that I’ve never been out. |
| Disaster: |
|
What
you mean I’m like everyone else? You don’t know
how I feel and I’m not assuming anything. I also
have my own problems. It’s not only you in the world.
I’m my own person. I’m unique. |
| Thunder: |
|
Well,
I didn’t mean by you not being unique. It’s
just that I thought I saw something in you, something
special! I thought I saw me in you.
I don’t know what’s wrong with people. It’s
like they don’t even notice I’m always in my
house. I’m six. I want to be out there and run, play,
have friends, go to school like the kids walking by in
the morning. I’m tired of sitting here in this stupid
house, in this stupid chair, looking out this stupid window
having to make my own movie about what’s going on
out there. I’m just tired of all this. I’m tired
of being locked up and having to listen to my parents
argue and not being able to do anything about it. I feel
weak. I feel like disappearing. I’m just tired of
all this. I just want to run free! |
| Disaster: |
|
You
really feel that way. Why are you even telling me all
this? |
| Thunder: |
|
It’s
like I told you before. I saw something in you, but I
don’t know what that something is yet. |
| Disaster: |
|
I think
you’re right. What’s your name again?
|
| Thunder: |
|
Thunder |
| Disaster: |
|
Thunder,
there is something in me. You know what that something
is? |
| Thunder: |
|
What? |
| Disaster: |
|
I
can understand you. I do know what you’re feeling. |
| Thunder: |
|
Really,
how? |
| Disaster: |
|
Well,
I’m going through the same thing. |
| Thunder: |
|
What
do you mean? |
| Disaster: |
|
I
feel the same way when my family argues and I can’t
do anything about it. Well, see, I just ran away from
my house. It’s just usual stuff, like arguing and
misunderstanding and well, anger against my brother.(pause)
To tell you the truth it’s not usual stuff. Sometimes
it goes over the line. He gets a little angry and we start
fighting. Then he just screams and says stuff I’m
sure he doesn’t mean –and when he says stuff
like it make’s me feel so angry and scared, and well
a little depressed. And well, I know he’s just looking
out for me, but he make’s it seem like he hates me.
And I want to listen to him and not go off because I know
he’s right. |
| Thunder: |
|
Then
why do you go off if you know he’s right? |
| Disaster: |
|
Now,
you’re making me feel like you don’t understand. |
| Thunder: |
|
Well,
I don’t understand. Explain it to me. |
| Disaster: |
|
I
don’t feel like explaining right now. |
| Thunder: |
|
Why
not? You want me to understand don’t you? |
| Disaster: |
|
Yeah
but, |
| Thunder: |
|
But
what? |
| Disaster: |
|
I
go off because, well, it feels like I’m a genie in
a bottle. Like I got to do everything he tells me to,
and I’m sick of that. I want to do my own thing.
It’s my life, not his and we all make mistakes. In
my case, I just learn it the hard way. I don’t want
to be the person I am. I want to be the person I could
be. |
| Thunder: |
|
Well,
I feel that way too. I want to be able to step out of
this house. Can you help me please, pretty please? |
| Disaster: |
|
Are
you sure you want me to do this? |
| Thunder: |
|
Well,
yeah. But hurry before I back down. |
| Disaster: |
|
O.K.
Just give me a minute. (pause) I got it. O.K. do
you have a back door? |
| Thunder: |
|
Ummmm,
yeah. It’s by the kitchen, in the right side of the
fence, where the apple tree is. |
| Disaster: |
|
O.K.
is it open? |
| Thunder: |
|
I
don’t know. I never go there. But is usually open.
Oh. One thing. Be really, really, really careful not to
make noise. |
| Disaster: |
|
Why? |
| Thunder: |
|
Just
don’t. |
| Disaster: |
|
What
happens if I do? |
| Thunder: |
|
Just
don’t. Listen to me. |
| Disaster: |
|
Whatever! |
| Thunder: |
|
What
do you mean “whatever”? You know if you make
a lot of noise and dad wakes up it’s going to be
over for me and you. I don’t want to argue with him
mad. Plus, if he finds out I’m getting out he’s
going to think I’m running away. I don’t want
him thinking I’m running away. |
| Disaster: |
|
O.K.
I understand now. I’ll try not to make that much
noise.
(she finds the door and goes in the house)
(whisper) Thunder, thunder, where are you? |
| Thunder: |
|
You
made it. |
| Disaster: |
|
Yeah,
yeah come on let’s go. |
| Thunder: |
|
(Thunder
is in the door way but he’s scared to go out)
No, I can’t do this. How about if I never come back?
And never see my family again. How am I supposed to have
a relationship with my dad if I leave. It’s not too
late to start over. I want him to be there to teach me
how to grow up. |
| Disaster: |
|
You
are going to be back. I’ll make sure you get back.
Come on! I also have to get on going. It’s getting
late. |
| Thunder: |
|
What
don’t you understand? I’ve never been out. I
never been this close to being out in the world. What
do you expect? I’m scared. I don’t know how
to deal with the things that go out there. There could
be big kids that pick on me. What about if somebody tries
to force me to do what I don’t want to do. |
| Disaster: |
|
I
don’t have time. Are you going to do it or not? I
don’t feel like meeting your dad, mad if he wakes
up. I got to find a place to stay for the night. So, you’re
either going to come out here with me or stay in there
by your self. (pause) Sorry, I didn’t mean
to sound rude or like I didn’t care but it is getting
late and you gotta make your decision. |
| Thunder: |
|
(
thoughts flying through his head)
What should I do, what should I do? Ahhh!!!!. I have to
take this dare. Oh well about the consequences. O.K. Now
if I go out I get what I want. I see what goes on out
there and find people just like me. If there is any. And
if I stay in here I’ll be too scared to ever go out
and find what goes on. |
| Disaster: |
|
You’re
dad is going to wake up any minute now. I could feel it.
Come on. |
| Thunder: |
|
Shut
up! Let me think for 1 more minute. Look, Disaster, how
about if I can’t come back in the house and my dad
finds out. He’s going to lecture me for years. And
if he does find out my family won’t ever be peaceful,
and they would even have more problems to argue about.
|
| Disaster: |
|
(yelling)
Thunder, look out, your dad’s light just went
on! |
| Thunder: |
|
What?
Where? How?
(he jumps right out the door) |
| Disaster: |
|
Come
on let’s go! |
| Thunder: |
|
I
can’t believe it. I made it. I never thought I’ll
have the guts to go out. Hey!! I feel confident. |
| Disaster: |
|
Come
on, let’s get going. |
| Thunder: |
|
Hold
on. Let me enjoy the feeling. |
| Disaster: |
|
No,
mister, you hold on. Now, hurry up before you really never
get to see the world. Now come on! This is the plan, so
listen carefully. We climb the apple tree and jump the
fence that leads us to the alley and run as if a big pit
bull is trying to eat you. Then wait for me by the gray
apartment building by the garage. O.K. |
| Thunder: |
|
O.K.
Just be there. Don’t diss me. |
| Disaster: |
|
I
won’t. O.K., at the count of 3. 1, 2, 3, run. See
ya in a little. |
|
|
SCENE
2
Time: Around 1:00 in the morning
Place: The alley
At rise: Disaster is showing Thunder the world. |
| Disaster: |
|
Any
problem in your way down the alley? |
| Thunder: |
|
No,
not at all. You know what? I felt so good running. I felt
so free and happy, like I had no problems. And in my way
down here I saw a little girl about my age with what it
seem a very loving and happy family. |
| Disaster: |
|
You
won’t believe this, but that’s why I told you
to meet me here separately. I wanted you to have a feeling
of how others live. So, welcome to the world. Let’s
take a walk and I’ll tell you a little about it. |
| Thunder: |
|
You
think I’m ready. |
| Disaster: |
|
Well,
it’s now or never. Come on let’s go. O.K. Our
first stop is here in this lonely alley. What do you think
of it? |
| Thunder: |
|
It
looks quiet and boring. |
| Disaster: |
|
You’re
wrong. There’s so many things going on. Look in that
corner. See those two guys there selling drugs? |
| Thunder: |
|
Oh,
I see. I heard of those in the T.V. |
| Disaster: |
|
Now,
you see those guys over there. |
| Thunder: |
|
Where? |
| Disaster: |
|
By
the low rider car. Those 10 guys. |
| Thunder: |
|
Oh,
I see. |
| Disaster: |
|
Well,
they’re gang members so we got to be careful by them.
It looks like they’re planning something bad. |
| Thunder: |
|
Disaster,
look, look!! That guy is hitting that poor young girl.
She’s so young and he’s so old. What is she
doing? |
| Disaster: |
|
SHHH!!
Don’t be so loud. Look, she’s selling her body,
to get money. |
| Thunder: |
|
How?
|
| Disaster: |
|
Well,
She’s having sex with people to get money. |
| Thunder: |
|
Why
is he hitting her? |
| Disaster: |
|
I
don’t know, but let’s not get into it. Look,
Thunder, it’s getting a little late and around this
time a lot goes on so we got to find a place to sleep
for tonight. |
| Thunder: |
|
O.K.
I think I know where we could go. When I was running through
the alley I saw this abandoned laundry room. |
| Disaster: |
|
Where? |
| Thunder: |
|
It’s
a laundry room by where we met in the apartment. |
| Disaster: |
|
All
right. Let’s get going. |
| Thunder: |
|
(inside
the laundry room)
BRRRR!! It’s so cold. Look, there are all kinds of
people running. |
| Disaster: |
|
Be
quiet. I told you a lot goes on in the night. Just go
to sleep. |
| Thunder: |
|
I
can’t I miss my family. I miss my bed. I never thought
the world was so harsh. |
| Disaster: |
|
(aside)
Why did I run away? What did I get this little kid into?
He’s so young. He’s not supposed to know about
all this yet. This is going to have a big affect in his
life. I hope it’s a good one. I hope he doesn’t
get involved in any gang or drugs or even by being a pimp.
I should of listened to my brother. Right now I could
be home, nice and warm, not having to watch my and Thunder’s
back. How about if those gang members come and attack
us? Or those guys selling drugs offer me some? How about
if the pimp finds out we saw who he is and that we know
what he’s doing and beats me? This sounds just like
one of my brother’s lectures. It could have been
much easier just dealing with my problems rather than
running from them.
Thunder, Thunder, wake up. |
| Thunder: |
|
Mmmm!!
What’s wrong? |
| Disaster: |
|
Nothing…..Well,
yeah there’s something wrong. We got to go back. |
| Thunder: |
|
No,
I don’t want to go back right now. How about if my
dad is mad? |
| Disaster: |
|
(yelling)
He’s not going to be mad! |
| Thunder: |
|
You
don’t know how he is. |
| Disaster: |
|
Let’s
just go |
| Thunder: |
|
No,
I’m too afraid. I don’t feel like going back.
How about if I never come out again. And I have to be
stuck listening to all the arguing. I don’t want
to go back. I finally got what I wanted and I’m having
fun! |
| Disaster: |
|
You’re
not having fun! You think having fun is out here having
to watch your back? Missing your family, not knowing what’s
going to happen next. You’re too young. You’re
not even supposed to know about all this yet. |
| Thunder: |
|
Well,
look at you. You sound like you’re all grown-up.
You’re not that old either. |
| Disaster: |
|
(crying)
That’s why I’m telling you all this. I don’t
want you to end up like me. Experiencing things we’re
not even supposed to know about. I think I done a big
mistake. |
| Thunder: |
|
Why? |
| Disaster: |
|
How
about if you take the wrong way of life and you do one
of the things I just showed you? Then I’m going to
feel like it was my fault. |
| Thunder: |
|
How
about if I take the good way and I never do any of those
things? |
| Disaster: |
|
I
guess time will tell but really I think we should get
going. |
| Thunder: |
|
O.K.
Let’s go.
(running back home through the alley) |
| Disaster: |
|
(out
of breath) O.K. You got to do this. You got to go
in. |
| Thunder: |
|
I
don’t know if I can. But I’ll try.
(Thunder opens the door)
No, I can’t do it. The only way I’ll do this
is if you come with me. See, I feel like I could do anything
with you. I feel comfortable with you. |
| Disaster: |
|
No,
I’m too scared to go with you. How about if they
think I captured you and they shoot me |
| Thunder: |
|
Now
you’re going too far. Please do this for me. Please |
| Disaster: |
|
O.K. |
| Thunder: |
|
One
thing. Leave the door open in case we got to run out.
(Thunder walks in and the parents are standing in the
kitchen door way.
(talking fast) Dad, I didn’t mean to leave the
house. I was just so anxious of knowing what was out there.
Please don’t get mad. I didn’t run away. (crying)
I love you. I love you. I didn’t want you to get
mad. |
| Disaster: |
|
(crying)
Thunder, it’s O.K. slow down. Look at him. He’s
not mad. He looks more worried. I told you he’s not
mad. |
| Thunder: |
|
Really,
really!!! Dad, I’m sorry. I want to start a new relationship
with you. I want you to stop arguing with mom. Is that
so much to ask? I just want you to teach me the right
way of life. I love you dad. |
| Disaster: |
|
He
loves you too, Thunder. |
| |
|
The
End. |
